VC Young Artist Christian Li’s New Album, “Discovering Mendelssohn”

Released on Decca Classics, the album includes Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor and selections from “Songs Without Words”

“Discovering Mendelssohn,” is VC Young Artist Christian Li’s second album release on Decca Classics. In 2021, he topped the UK Classical Charts with his debut release, from which he became the youngest artist to record Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

His new album features “On Wings of Song,” from Mendelssohn’s 6 Songs Op.34, with which Christian performs with the harp for the first time, alongside musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in a new arrangement for violin and chamber ensemble. 

The centerpiece of the album is Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, which was recorded with the MSO with conductor Sir Andrew Davis. 

“I wanted to try and follow what is in the score,” Christian said, referring to the cadenza in the first movement of the concerto. “I also tried to create mysterious atmospheres, experimenting with dynamic and contour and pacing, to make it sound interesting and more like an improvisation.” 

Other works include a new arrangement for violin and piano of Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14, plus two works from Songs Without Words, Op.62. — “Spring Song” and “Venetian Gondola Song,” in which Christian performs with Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang in a new arrangement.

Additionally on the album, Christian performs Mozart’s Violin Sonata No. 21 in E Minor, Bach’s Serenade and Erbarme dich by J.S. Bach, and Schubert’s Serenade, D 957 No. 4.

To purchase and listen to the album, click here.

An excerpt of Christian recording Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor with the MSO can be viewed below.